HB 1055

                            Second Regular Session
                         Seventy-fifth General Assembly
                           STATE OF COLORADO
                                                                           INTRODUCED
LLS NO. 26-0618.01 Sarah Lozano x3858  HOUSE BILL 26-1055
                             HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
 Lindsay,
                            SENATE SPONSORSHIP
 (None),
House Committees  Senate Committees
Education
                                     A BILL FOR AN ACT
101CONCERNING THE CREATION OF THE MY COLORADO CARD PILOT
102PROGRAM, AND, IN CONNECTION THEREWITH, PROVIDING
103YOUTH IN GRADES SIX THROUGH TWELVE WITH ACCESS TO
104CULTURAL, ARTS, RECREATIONAL, OR EXTRACURRICULAR
105FACILITIES THROUGHOUT COLORADO.
                                           Bill Summary
               (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does
       not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill
       passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that
       applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at
       http://leg.colorado.gov.)
             The bill creates the my Colorado card pilot program (pilot
       program) in the department of public health and environment
           Shading denotes HOUSE amendment. Double underlining denotes SENATE amendment.
        Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material to be added to existing law.
              Dashes through the words or numbers indicate deletions from existing law.
    (department) to provide individuals in grades 6 through 12 (youth) access
    to cultural, arts, recreational, or extracurricular activities throughout the
    state (activities). The department must develop a physical or digital my
    Colorado card for the youth participating in the pilot program to access
    the activities covered by the pilot program.
       No later than December 30, 2026, the department, after obtaining
    feedback and recommendations from community-led organizations no
    later than December 1, 2026, must select a limited number of pilot
    communities to participate in the pilot program (selected pilot
    communities). A selected pilot community must appoint a coordination
    team to support youth participation in the pilot program.
       The department must also coordinate with the selected pilot
    communities and community-led organizations to:
       !       Identify youth in the selected pilot communities to
               participate in the pilot program;
       !       Facilitate access to activities for youth participating in the
               pilot program; and
       !       Collect nonidentifying participation data for evaluation and
               reporting purposes.
       The department shall evaluate the pilot program on an annual basis
    to assess certain components of the pilot program. On or before
    December 1, 2027, and on or before each December 1 thereafter, the
    department shall submit a report to certain committees of the general
    assembly summarizing the results of the department's evaluation,
    observed outcomes and challenges of the pilot program, and
    recommendations regarding the continuation or modification of the pilot
    program.
       The pilot program repeals on September 1, 2031, subject to the
    sunset review process.
1 Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
2SECTION 1. Legislative declaration. (1) The general assembly
3 finds and declares that:
4(a)    Youth across Colorado face very different levels of
5 opportunities within the communities where they live and learn;
6(b) Many youth live and learn in areas that would be considered
7 opportunity deserts, which are places where there is limited or no
8 equitable access to cultural, arts, recreational, or extracurricular facilities;
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1(c)   This lack of opportunity contributes to mental health
2 challenges, social isolation, neighborhood detachment, academic
3 struggles, and strain on the overall well-being of youth;
4(d) Colorado is full of opportunities that should be available to all
5 youth, no matter their zip code, affirming that all of Colorado belongs to
6 our youth; and
7(e) Given the ongoing mental health crisis among youth, it is
8 imperative that Colorado is committed to leveraging all partnerships and
9 places to ensure protective factors and to eliminate the risk factors that
10 keep youth from realizing their full potential.
11(2) Therefore, the general assembly declares that Colorado should
12 create a pilot program that allows youth to have equitable access to
13 cultural, arts, recreational, and extracurricular facilities, within and
14 beyond the zip codes that they live and learn in.
15SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 25-1-139 as
16 follows:
1725-1-139. My Colorado card pilot program - creation of pilot
18 program - selection of pilot communities - participating facilities -
19 report - definitions - sunset review - repeal.
20(1) Definitions. AS USED IN THIS SECTION, UNLESS THE CONTEXT
21 OTHERWISE REQUIRES:
22(a) "COMMUNITY-LED ORGANIZATION" MEANS AN ORGANIZATION
23 THAT IS RUN BY INDIVIDUALS FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT THE
24 ORGANIZATION HELPS OR THAT IS AUTHORIZED BY INDIVIDUALS OF THE
25 COMMUNITY TO HELP THE COMMUNITY.
26(b) "COORDINATION TEAM" MEANS A GROUP OF NO LESS THAN
27 SEVEN PERSONS COMPRISED OF:
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1(I) EDUCATORS AND SCHOOL OFFICIALS;
2(II) COMMUNITY-LED ORGANIZATIONS;
3(III) ELECTED OFFICIALS;
4(IV) BUSINESSES AND SERVICE PROVIDERS;
5(V) PARENTS AND GUARDIANS; AND
6(VI) STUDENTS.
7(c) "CULTURAL, ARTS, RECREATIONAL, OR EXTRACURRICULAR
8  FACILITY" OR "FACILITY" MEANS A MUSEUM, CULTURAL INSTITUTION,
9 LIBRARY, ARTS ORGANIZATION, RECREATION CENTER, PARK, SPORTS
10 FACILITY, AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM SITE, OR OTHER COMMUNITY-BASED
11 FACILITY THAT PROVIDES YOUTH ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES.
12(d) "MY COLORADO CARD" MEANS A PHYSICAL OR DIGITAL CARD
13 THAT ENABLES YOUTH PARTICIPATING IN THE PILOT PROGRAM TO ACCESS
14 CULTURAL, ARTS, RECREATIONAL, OR EXTRACURRICULAR FACILITIES THAT
15 PARTICIPATE IN THE PILOT PROGRAM.
16(e) "OPPORTUNITY DESERT" MEANS A GEOGRAPHIC AREA IN THE
17 STATE WHERE YOUTH LACK REASONABLE ACCESS TO CULTURAL, ARTS,
18 RECREATIONAL, OR EXTRACURRICULAR FACILITIES DUE TO ECONOMIC,
19 GEOGRAPHIC, TRANSPORTATION, OR SYSTEMIC BARRIERS.
20(f) "PILOT PROGRAM" MEANS THE MY COLORADO CARD PILOT
21 PROGRAM CREATED IN SUBSECTION (2)(a) OF THIS SECTION.
22(g) "RURAL RESERVATION COMMUNITY" MEANS A COMMUNITY
23 THAT IS LOCATED ON OR PRIMARILY SERVING A FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED
24 TRIBAL RESERVATION IN THE STATE.
25(h) "SELECTED PILOT COMMUNITY" MEANS A PILOT COMMUNITY
26 THAT IS SELECTED FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE PILOT PROGRAM BY THE
27 DEPARTMENT IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBSECTION (3)(a) OF THIS SECTION.
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1(i) "YOUTH" MEANS AN INDIVIDUAL IN GRADES SIX THROUGH
2 TWELVE.
3(2)   Creation of pilot program - administration by the
4  department.
5(a) THE MY COLORADO CARD PILOT PROGRAM IS CREATED IN THE
6 DEPARTMENT TO IMPROVE YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOMES BY
7 PROVIDING YOUTH WITH ACCESS TO CULTURAL, ARTS, RECREATIONAL, OR
8 EXTRACURRICULAR      FACILITIES    THROUGHOUT   THE   STATE.   THE
9 DEPARTMENT SHALL ADMINISTER THE PILOT PROGRAM IN ACCORDANCE
10 WITH THIS SECTION.
11(b)   IN THE DEPARTMENT'S ADMINISTRATION OF THE PILOT
12 PROGRAM, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL, AT A MINIMUM:
13(I) DEVELOP A MY COLORADO CARD FOR USE BY THE YOUTH
14 PARTICIPATING IN THE PILOT PROGRAM;
15(II) SELECT PILOT COMMUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PILOT
16 PROGRAM IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBSECTION (3) OF THIS SECTION;
17(III) COORDINATE WITH THE SELECTED PILOT COMMUNITIES AND
18 COMMUNITY-LED ORGANIZATIONS TO:
19(A) IDENTIFY YOUTH IN THE SELECTED PILOT COMMUNITIES TO
20 PARTICIPATE IN THE PILOT PROGRAM;
21(B) FACILITATE ACCESS TO CULTURAL, ARTS, RECREATIONAL, OR
22 EXTRACURRICULAR FACILITIES IN AREAS THROUGHOUT THE STATE FOR
23 YOUTH PARTICIPATING IN THE PILOT PROGRAM; AND
24(C) COLLECT NONIDENTIFYING PARTICIPATION DATA FOR THE
25 PURPOSES OF THE EVALUATION AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
26 DESCRIBED IN SUBSECTION (4) OF THIS SECTION;
27(IV) COORDINATE WITH COMMUNITY-LED ORGANIZATIONS TO
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1 PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO SELECTED PILOT COMMUNITIES
2 RELATED TO:
3(A)    MENTAL-HEALTH-INFORMED  AND   TRAUMA-INFORMED
4 PROGRAMMING PRACTICES;
5(B)     SHARED-USE     AGREEMENTS     FOR   CULTURAL,   ARTS,
6 RECREATIONAL, OR EXTRACURRICULAR FACILITIES;
7(C) PARTNERSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY-LED ORGANIZATIONS, LOCAL
8 GOVERNMENTS, AND TRIBAL AUTHORITIES; AND
9(D) IDENTIFICATION OF TRANSPORTATION STRATEGIES USING
10 EXISTING RESOURCES; AND
11(V) COORDINATE WITH OTHER STATE AGENCIES AND LOCAL
12 GOVERNMENTS IN THE DEPARTMENT'S ADMINISTRATION OF THE PILOT
13 PROGRAM, AS APPROPRIATE, TO UTILIZE EXISTING YOUTH-SERVING
14 RESOURCES IN FURTHERANCE OF THE PILOT PROGRAM.
15(c) (I) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ENSURE THAT DATA COLLECTED
16 THROUGH THE PILOT PROGRAM:
17(A) IS LIMITED TO NONIDENTIFYING PARTICIPATION DATA;
18(B) DOES NOT INCLUDE SENSITIVE PERSONAL, ACADEMIC, OR
19 HEALTH INFORMATION; AND
20(C) COMPLIES WITH ALL APPLICABLE STATE AND FEDERAL PRIVACY
21 LAWS.
22(II) DATA COLLECTED THROUGH THE PILOT PROGRAM SHALL NOT
23 BE USED FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT, IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT, OR
24 DISCIPLINARY PURPOSES.
25(3) Pilot communities - participating facilities.
26(a) NO LATER THAN DECEMBER 30, 2026, THE DEPARTMENT,
27 AFTER    OBTAINING     FEEDBACK     AND    RECOMMENDATIONS      FROM
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1  COMMUNITY-LED ORGANIZATIONS NO LATER THAN DECEMBER 1, 2026,
2 SHALL SELECT A LIMITED NUMBER OF PILOT COMMUNITIES IN THE STATE
3 TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PILOT PROGRAM, WHICH COMMUNITIES MUST
4  COLLECTIVELY REPRESENT:
5(I) URBAN COMMUNITIES;
6(II) RURAL COMMUNITIES; AND
7(III) RURAL RESERVATION COMMUNITIES.
8(b) IN SELECTING PILOT COMMUNITIES, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL
9 CONSIDER:
10(I) GEOGRAPHIC DIVERSITY ACROSS THE STATE;
11(II) COMMUNITIES IDENTIFIED AS OPPORTUNITY DESERTS; AND
12(III)     BARRIERS TO YOUTH ACCESS TO CULTURAL, ARTS,
13 RECREATIONAL,     OR   EXTRACURRICULAR   FACILITIES ,   INCLUDING
14 TRANSPORTATION BARRIERS.
15(c) (I)    A SELECTED PILOT COMMUNITY SHALL APPOINT A
16 COORDINATION TEAM TO SUPPORT YOUTH PARTICIPATION IN THE PILOT
17 PROGRAM.
18(II) THE SELECTION OF A COMMUNITY AS A PILOT COMMUNITY
19 DOES NOT LIMIT YOUTH IN THAT SELECTED PILOT COMMUNITY FROM
20 ACCESSING CULTURAL, ARTS, RECREATIONAL, OR EXTRACURRICULAR
21 FACILITIES THROUGH THE PILOT PROGRAM IN OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE.
22(III) A SELECTED PILOT COMMUNITY MAY:
23(A) COORDINATE TRANSPORTATION SCHEDULES;
24(B)        SUPPORT   SHARED-USE   OR   INTERGOVERNMENTAL
25 TRANSPORTATION AGREEMENTS; OR
26(C) PROMOTE WALKABLE OR LOCALLY ACCESSIBLE CULTURAL,
27 ARTS, RECREATIONAL, OR EXTRACURRICULAR FACILITIES.
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1(d) THE DEPARTMENT AND A SELECTED PILOT COMMUNITY MAY
2 ENCOURAGE FACILITIES PARTICIPATING IN THE PILOT PROGRAM TO:
3(I)    OFFER   FREE OR REDUCED-PRICE ACCESS TO YOUTH
4 PARTICIPATING IN THE PILOT PROGRAM DURING DESIGNATED TIMES;
5(II) RESERVE CAPACITY FOR YOUTH PARTICIPATING IN THE PILOT
6 PROGRAM WHEN FEASIBLE; AND
7(III) ALIGN HOURS OF OPERATION WITH AFTER-SCHOOL HOURS OR
8 NONSCHOOL HOURS.
9(e) NOTHING IN THIS SECTION REQUIRES:
10(I)   A COMMUNITY OR CULTURAL, ARTS, RECREATIONAL, OR
11 EXTRACURRICULAR FACILITY IN THE STATE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PILOT
12 PROGRAM;
13(II) A FACILITY PARTICIPATING IN THE PILOT PROGRAM TO:
14(A) WAIVE FEES;
15(B) PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION;
16(C) ALTER CAPACITY LIMITS OR HOURS OF OPERATION; OR
17(D) DISPLACE EXISTING PROGRAMMING; OR
18(III) A SELECTED PILOT COMMUNITY TO PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION
19 OR CREATE A NEW SERVICE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PILOT PROGRAM.
20(4) Evaluation and reporting.
21(a) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL EVALUATE THE PILOT PROGRAM ON
22 AN ANNUAL BASIS TO ASSESS:
23(I) YOUTH PARTICIPATION IN THE PILOT PROGRAM;
24(II) GEOGRAPHIC DIVERSITY OF FACILITIES PARTICIPATING IN THE
25 PILOT PROGRAM;
26(III) OBSERVED INDICATORS OF ENGAGEMENT AND WELL-BEING OF
27 THE YOUTH PARTICIPATING IN THE PILOT PROGRAM; AND
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1(IV) BARRIERS TO ACCESS TO FACILITIES PARTICIPATING IN THE
2 PILOT PROGRAM, INCLUDING TRANSPORTATION BARRIERS.
3(b) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 1, 2027, AND ON OR BEFORE EACH
4 DECEMBER 1 THEREAFTER, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL SUBMIT A REPORT TO
5 THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE OF THE SENATE AND THE
6 HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE OF THE HOUSE OF
7 REPRESENTATIVES, OR ANY SUCCESSOR COMMITTEES, SUMMARIZING:
8(I) THE RESULTS OF THE EVALUATION CONDUCTED PURSUANT TO
9 SUBSECTION (4)(a) OF THIS SECTION AND STRATEGIES IMPLEMENTED BY
10 THE DEPARTMENT BASED ON THE RESULTS OF THE EVALUATION;
11(II)   OBSERVED OUTCOMES AND CHALLENGES OF THE PILOT
12 PROGRAM; AND
13(III) RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING THE CONTINUATION OR
14 MODIFICATION OF THE PILOT PROGRAM.
15(5) Gifts, grants, or donations. THE DEPARTMENT MAY SEEK,
16 ACCEPT, AND EXPEND GIFTS, GRANTS, OR DONATIONS FROM PRIVATE OR
17 PUBLIC SOURCES FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION.
18(6) Sunset review - repeal. THIS SECTION IS REPEALED, EFFECTIVE
19 SEPTEMBER 1, 2031. BEFORE THE REPEAL, THIS SECTION IS SCHEDULED
20 FOR REVIEW IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 24-34-104.
21SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 24-34-104, add
22 (32)(a)(XVI) as follows:
2324-34-104. General assembly review of regulatory agencies
24 and functions for repeal, continuation, or reestablishment - legislative
25 declaration - repeal.
26(32) (a) The following agencies, functions, or both, are scheduled
27 for repeal on September 1, 2031:
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1(XVI) THE MY COLORADO CARD PILOT PROGRAM CREATED IN
2 SECTION 25-1-139.
3SECTION 4.  Safety clause. The general assembly finds,
4 determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate
5 preservation of the public peace, health, or safety or for appropriations for
6 the support and maintenance of the departments of the state and state
7 institutions.
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